Endorsement: The Bend Bulletin

Attorney General: Myers still the best choice

Published: September 30, 2004

During his two terms as Oregon's attorney general, Hardy Myers has performed the duties of his office capably. He has worked hard to protect consumers and improve life for crime victims, and he has conducted himself responsibly as the state's chief legal counsel. He is seeking a third (and, he says, final) term in office. Voters should give it to him.

Myers has focused in particular on violence against women. To that end, his office formed a statewide sex assault task force to, among other things, recommend needed legislative changes and provide resources to local agencies responding to such crimes. More generally, Myers' office helped put in place an automated system to notify crime victims of changes in the status of offenders. Myers has also set up a restitution reform task force in order to force more criminals to pay for the economic consequences of their actions.

In the area of consumer protection, Myers' office has concentrated on misconduct that affects large numbers of people. He points in particular to his office's response to wrongdoing (deceptive marketing, anti-competitive practices, etc.) committed by the pharmaceutical industry. And then, of course, there's Oregon's no-call list, which has been pre-empted by the federal no-call list. Myers' office has sought, and will continue to seek, the authority to recover enforcement costs, thereby increasing the registry's effectiveness.

Should Myers win another term, he'd also like to push for tougher sentences for repeat property offenders. He's sensed a high level of public frustration with repeat property crimes, and he believes addressing it should be a high priority for any new spending.

Myers' main competition will come from Paul Connolly, who's a smart and accomplished person in his own right. However, notwithstanding a five-year stint as the attorney for the state Republican Party, Connolly simply can't compete with the wealth of experience Myers brings to the office. Prior to running for attorney general in 1996, Myers served five terms in the state Legislature. Between 1979 and 1983, he was even speaker of the House. Given the knowledge Myers brings, and given his solid track record as attorney general, voters have no reason to replace him. He deserves another four years.